Clodagh Finn: Dishonouring of women’s bodies stops now

The female body, in particular from the waist down, has been belittled, degraded, defiled and controlled for millennia. We owe it to Ruth Morrissey to make it end now, writes Clodagh Finn

The late Ruth Morrissey, seen here with husband  Paul, at the Four Courts for her High Court action over a misread cervical cancer smear test. Picture: Collins Courts

The ancient myth of the goddess Macha has been swirling around my head all week. Maybe it’s because archaeologists recently discovered a complex of Iron Age temples at the ancient capital of Ulster, which is named after her. Navan Fort, or Emain Macha, means Macha’s twins.

Incidentally, the city of Armagh (Árd Mhaca), a few short miles away, also bears her name. This otherworldly woman was clearly very important. And yet, during her time on earth, the authorities of the day dishonoured and humiliated her while she was heavily pregnant.